LATEST COMMERCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 933, 17 January 1890, Page 16

LATEST COMMERCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail Office, Thursday Afternoon, Trade appears to have dropped into its regular groove now that the holidays have gone by, and there is a general feeling of buoyancy all ronnd that augurs weli for the present season. The advent of harvest with the full employment of all spare labour tends to brighten business. The. sugar market is fairly brisk, although prices are nominal; whites are slightly depressed, and low sugars are firm. The reason probably is that the former are under the suspicion of a fall before long, aa very heavy supplies of Mauritius and German beet granulated have arrived lately in Australia. There is a drop in Mauritius prices, relative to the London cabled rates, and the3© latter practically

rule nil markets. Dried fruits are in slow demand since Christmas, and with the advent of local green fruit, but elemes and 6iiltanas still continue firm. There is a good inquiry for starch, corn flour, vinegar, limejuice, and pickles: In the metal trade galvanised iron is firmer, with every prospect of a farther rise. Fencing wire is worth £2 per ton tnote than it was a month ago, and bar iron £1 per ton* with general hardness all round, In fish, Alaska salmon is lower. There is a belief that mullet will see a higher price, as demand is now far ahead of supply, and a declaration of a close season at the Bay of Islands it is expected at any moment would lead to scarcity for several months. There 13 a better inquiry for herrings, but nothing noteworthy. Messrs Parrot and Co., San Francisco, in their report of the 13th- December, state that business generally is quiet in all Californian produce. Rain all through the country during the last three weeks, like it has not happened for a long period, promises a bountiful new year. For-fruit the market is very quiet, but stocks generally are small. Of plums and prunes there is a good supply, while we cannot quote the former at less than 1 dollar 25 cents, and the latter at 7 cents, average size. We believe that purchases to good advantage can be made on both. Honey is very quiet, and prices unchanged. Fancy candies and glaced fruits, 15 oents to 25 cents per lb. The stocks,of Alaska salmon are large, and holders seem to prefer to keep it under control here than to make consignments. We have effected cheap purchases, bat we continue to quote Alaska, 1 dollar 23| cents ; Columbia River, 1 dollar 50 cents, nominal ; Sacramento Fall pack, 1 dollar 25 cents. New Zealand hempIn tbe/Eastern States the demand has given out entirely—factories are awaiting developments. There are apparently large consignments on the way which create an uncertainty. The Pacific Coast will prove a better purchaser from now on. Messrs Lowes ancl lorus, of Masterton, report :—At their sale yesterday, the ontries comprised 320 head of cattle, 1550 sheep, beside horses, pigs, & c. They cannot report any improvement in cattle, prices remaining much in favour of buyers. Fat sheep do not meet with the demand which might be expected at this time of the year. We quote fat wethers 9s to 9s fid ; fat ewes, 7s ; store wethers, 7s to Ss j ewes and lambs, 8s lOd. In cattle, forward bullocks 65s to 72a 6d ; stores, 55s to 60s; two-year-ol 1 steers,'4os to 45>a ; spayed cows, 35s to 40s ; breeding cows, 30s to 40s ; beef cows, 60s to 093 ; oalves, nominal. Store pigs, 8s to 14s. Horses, few selling ; horse, cart, and harness, £26.

STOCK SALES

Dunedin, January 15.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company report (per M r D. 1 tronach) as follows ; —Cattle 221 ; best bullocks, L 7 15s to L 8 ; others, L2 3s to L 7 103-; beef, ordinary, 15s to 17s fid per lOOlbs. Sheep—--2585 ; best cross wethers, 12s 9d to 14s; extra heavy weights, 14s 9<l to 16-’ 3d : ordinary, 10s 6 1 to 12a fid ; best do. ewes, 103 9d to 13s 3d ; ordinary, S» to 10s fid ; mutton, IJd to 2d per lb ; 1417 lambs, 5« Gd to 11s 9d Pigs—Bo ; suckers, 9s to Us ; porkers, 26s 6d to 28s ; fa lconers, 34i to 40s.